Shower pan drain assembly system

ABSTRACT

An integrated shower base designed for improving the drainage of a tile shower is disclosed. The shower pan may be custom fabricated and molded with a depression surrounding a drainage opening for receiving a one piece floor drain. The pan and floor drain are welded together to prevent leaking. The floor drain contains weep holes so that water that seeps through the mortar on the shower floor and into the shower pan can drain properly without leaking. The floor drain also contains a reservoir for holding water that drains through the regular shower drain and also for water that seeps through the shower floor. A mortar guard is placed over the weep holes to prevent the holes from becoming clogged. A drainage mat is placed over the shower pan to help water seepage flow to the floor drain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is related to improving shower bases and to a drainagesystem for use with the base of a shower. While the shower is in use,water seeps through the floor of the shower, is collected in the showerpan and then funneled to the drain for removal. A drainage mat placed ontop of the pan liner separating the liner from the mortar used for thetile or stone floors allows water to freely run off the pan liner andinto the weep holes of the shower drain. A mortar guard prevents mortarfrom clogging the weep holes during the installation of the tile orstone.

2. Description of Related Art

One of the focal points of the home is the bathroom. Many homeownersinstall tile or stone showers to increase the overall aesthetic beautyof their homes by accentuating the bathroom over other rooms in thehouse. Tile or stone showers are not pre-made like plastic showers. Thismeans a tile or stone shower can provide a countless number of designchoices and combinations. Different design choices are based on factorssuch as individual preference on tile or stone design, color, shape andsize. Tile and stone showers also permit additional features to beinstalled such as benches, windows, multiple shower heads and multipledrains.

A common misconception about tiled showers is that they are waterproof.In fact, tiled showers are not completely water proof, only waterrepellent. A shower lined with tile or stone requires mortar and groutto hold the tile or stone in place. Both the shower pan and the tilefloor must be pitched toward the shower drain allowing the water to exitthe shower pan by way of the drain. While the tile is water repellant,the mortar and grout are not. When the shower is in use, the tile orstone deflects a majority of the water that it comes in contact with.However, the mortar and the grout absorb and retain water until thewater finds its way to the weepage holes of the drain. If too much wateris absorbed, the mortar can eventually saturate and water will start toseep through the mortar. If nothing is placed beneath the mortar, waterthat seeps through will eventually damage the surrounding structure. Ifwater becomes trapped between the shower and the surrounding structure,the damp and moist air becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold. Thewater seepage can also lead to cracks in the mortar causing largershower leaks and faster mold infestation that can damage the surroundingwalls and the bathroom floor.

Conventional shower drainage systems consisting of a shower pan anddrain are installed to remedy these problems. The shower pan acts as abase to the shower preventing the problem of water damage and moldbuildup on the shower floor by collecting and draining water that seepsthrough the floor of a shower. This is achieved by having a shower panwith a sloped or graded surface that directs water seepage to openingsin the neck or collar of the shower drain also known as weep holes. Thehead of the drain rests monolithically with the tiles above the showerpan and is the major source for water drainage. The neck of the drainextends downward from the head of the drain through the mortar and thenthrough an opening cut into of the shower pan. Traditionally the showerpan was made on site from a sheet of lead that was cut and bent to fitthe opening for the shower. An orifice was cut in the lead sheet to fitthe drain. The problem with previous shower pan designs using leadsheeting is that lead does not have an extensively useful lifespancompared to the lifespan of a typical home. The life of a lead showerpan averages 20 years, after which the lead will have oxidized to thepoint that it is nonexistent in places. An alternative to a lead pan hasbeen a pan formed from a heavy gauge chloraloy sheet. Chloraloy showerpans promote the growth of mildew and mold and require the use of gluefor all seams including where the pan meets the drain.

Numerous problems exist in the conventional design. The first problem isthat the weep holes which allow water seepage to drain may be becomerestricted during installation when mortar is permitted to clog theholes. If the holes become restricted by the mortar, an excess buildupof water could occur underneath the tiles. When installing shower pans,it is common for contractors to remedy this problem by placing peagravel over and around the weep holes to protect them from gettingclogged during the tile installation. While in theory this techniqueprevents the weep holes from getting clogged it restricts the water flowto the weep holes.

The second problem with conventional drainage systems is the jointbetween the lead pan and the drain is subject to leaking. The drain is aconventional drainage system with a chloraloy or lead pan which connectsto the shower pan in a multitude of different methods. In one method,the drain is attached to the pan by the use of a compression fittingthat is incorporated into the drain. This method requires glue or caulkto completely seal this connection. Since the drain is connected to theplumbing, any leaking at the point of contact due to gaps or eventualfailure of this connection will leak into the surrounding structurecausing severe damage to the surrounding structure. Another method whena lead or chloraloy pan is used includes gluing the neck of the drain tothe edge of the shower pan hole and then caulking at the point ofcontact. This method is prone to leaking after the passage of time whenthe caulking wears out. Since mortar and tile are placed on top of theshower pan, it is expensive to check whether the caulking is stillpreventing leaks or has worn out. A third method attempts to preventleaking by using a two piece drain known as a double seepage drain. Thisdrain places one piece of the drain below the shower and another pieceabove. The two pieces are pressed together with the shower pan placedbetween the pieces. A drain flange and collar are used to connect thetwo pieces. Since leaking may occur at the location where the drainflange and collar are attached, contractors generally caulk this area.Therefore, it is possible for the double seepage drain to leak if thecaulk wears out and water seeps through the flange and collar.

Noting the problems addressed herein, there is now a need for a showerdrainage system that prevents leaks in the shower pan, clogging of theweep holes and thus, has a longer lifespan than convention shower pans.In an effort to overcome and eliminate the aforementioned problems, thepresent invention was conceived.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to make a shower pan fromstainless steel, a material with a longer life span than lead.

It is also an object of the present invention to make a customizableshower pan that will fit a variety of openings.

It is another object of the present invention to prevent leaking betweenthe shower pan and the drain.

It is another object of the invention to provide a shower pan systemthat includes a stainless steel shower pan that can be custom made tofit any size shower floor.

It is another object of the invention to provide a stainless steelshower pan and a stainless steel drain that are joined together in amanner that prevents leaks (Tig/Mig Welded).

It is still another object of the invention to prevent clogging of theweep holes.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a shower drainsystem that includes a stainless steel shower pan and drain that may befabricated to meet any size opening required for the shower pan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objectives of the present invention are achieved byproviding a shower drainage system that includes a stainless steelcustom shower pan, integrated floor drain, shower drain, mortar guard,drainage mat and a drain grate. The shower pan and integrated floordrain provide multiple novel features over a conventional two piece leadshower pan and drain. The first novel feature is used out of stainlesssteel to create the shower pan instead of lead or chloraloy. The use ofstainless steel for the shower pan provides many advantages over theconventional materials. Stainless steel is stronger, more durable, andless malleable than lead which leads to a longer lifespan for the showerpan yet it is still capable of being custom size. The second novelfeature is the integration of the floor drain with the shower pan tocreate a water tight seal and prevent water from leaking. The shower panin the present invention has an orifice for receiving a floor drain andalso has a depression surrounding the orifice so that when the floordrain is placed in the orifice, the top surface of the floor drain sitsplanar to the top surface of the shower pan. The seam created by the twopieces is sealed by welding so that no leaking can occur. Conventionalmethods for creating water tight seals require compression fittings andcaulking at the point of contact between the drain and the shower pan.As noted above, caulking degrades over time, causing leaks to form.Welding the drain and shower pan together provides a permanent superiorseal than caulking and won't degrade over time. In the preferredembodiment, a Tig Welding is used to connect the two pieces and preventleaking. Tig Welding produces high quality, clean welds and is ideal formaking difficult welds (e.g. s-curves, or welds on round objects).

The integrated floor drain contains weep holes, a water reservoir, and adrain pipe. The water that seeps through the mortar flows from theshower pan, over the weld, to the floor drain. The floor drain'sreservoir is partially enclosed by stainless steel. Openings known asweep holes are created in the partial enclosure. The weep holes allowthe water to flow into the floor drain reservoir and then drain into theplumbing system. The floor drain's partial enclosure also has an openingin the center so that the floor drain can receive a shower drain. Withthe shower drain connected, water then drains from the floor of thetiles or stone through the shower drain, flowing into the floor drainreservoir. In the preferred embodiment, the top opening of the floordrain contains female threads while the neck of the shower draincontains male threads. The shower drain is secured into the floor drainby screwing the shower drain into the floor drain.

A mortar guard is placed over the weep holes and around the neck of theshower drain to prevent loose mortar during the initial tile or stoneinstallation from clogging the holes. The mortar guard is generallyshaped as a disk with an opening in the middle so that the mortar guardcan fit around the threaded pipe of the shower drain. It will be madeout of a suitable non porous material such as continuous filament nylon.The continuous filament nylon will be woven in a manner that allows thewater to pass through the mortar guard without any restriction allowingany water that seeps through the mortar to pass through the mortar guardand into the weep holes. The mortar guard also provides ample support toplace mortar and tile on top while still maintaining its shape andeffectiveness.

A drainage mat is placed between the mortar and the shower pan so thatwater can freely run off the pan liner and into the weep holes. Thedrainage mat may be a generally flat sheet of a plastic material that issized to fit the shower pan. It could also be may be generally planar orit may have a plurality of channels to assist in the runoff of thewater. The drainage mat may be filled with sturdy material tostructurally support the mortar, tile, or stone placed on top of themat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. is a perspective view of the drainage system in its preferredembodiment.

FIG. 2. is a top view of the integrated floor drain.

FIG. 3. is a side view of the integrated floor drain.

FIG. 4. is a perspective view of the integrated floor drain.

FIG. 5. is an exploded side view of the integrated floor drain, mortarguard, and the shower drain.

FIG. 6. is an exploded view of the integrated floor drain, mortar guard,and the shower drain.

FIG. 7. is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 8. is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9. is a top view of one design example of a round shower grate.

FIG. 10. is a top view of one design example of a round shower grate.

FIG. 11. is a top view of one design example of a square shower grate.

FIG. 12. is a top view of one design example of a square shower grate.

FIG. 13. is a top view of the square shower drain.

FIG. 14. is a side view of the square shower drain.

FIG. 15. is a perspective view of the square shower drain.

FIG. 16. is a top view of the round shower drain.

FIG. 17. is a side view of the round shower drain.

FIG. 18. is a perspective view of the round shower drain.

FIG. 19. is a top view of the mortar guard.

FIG. 20. is a perspective view of the mortar guard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to the present invention as presented in FIG. 1, thepreferred embodiment is shown using cross sections of the differentcomponents. FIG. 1 displays the integrated floor drain 20 connected tothe shower pan 1 with a mortar guard 50 and drainage mat 40 resting ontop of the floor drain 20 and shower pan 1. The mortar 80 and tile orstone 81 is then applied as another layer resting on top of the mortarguard 50 and drainage mat 40. Tile 81, including but not limited toceramic tile and stone 81, including but not limited to marble, graniteor composite, is used in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The integrated floor drain 20 is composed of two sections, the reservoir21 and the drain pipe 22. The drain pipe 22, as depicted, is acylindrical tube formed by a circular side wall with openings at bothends. One end connects to the plumbing system. At the other end, an edgeextends outwardly from the drain pipe 22 forming a wider reservoir 21 tostore water that seeps through the mortar. The preferred embodiment, andthe design as depicted in FIG. 1, shows an edge of the integrated floordrain that extends perpendicular from the drain pipe 22 sidewall. Thisedge acts as the base of the reservoir 21. A side wall extends from thereservoir 21 base parallel to the drain pipe 22 side wall. The reservoir21 may also be represented in multiple alternative embodiments.

A top surface, perpendicular to the sidewall forming the drain pipe 22,extends both externally 23 and internally 24 from the reservoir 21sidewall. The external portion of the top surface 23 contacts the showerpan 1 and rests in the shower pan depression 3. The external top surface23 and shower pan 1 are connected by welding 2 the two componentstogether. One method for welding the two components together is a tigweld.

The internal top surface 24 extends internally from the reservoir 21sidewall partially enclosing the reservoir 21 creating the reservoircavity. A circular opening 27 is formed in the center of the internaltop surface 24. This opening receives the shower drain neck 62. Asidewall 28 extends downward from the edge of the internal top surfaceas seen in FIG. 5. The sidewall 28 has female threads 25 while theshower drain neck 62 has male threads 61 so that the shower drain neck62 can be screwed into the integrated floor drain 20.

Orifices known as weep holes 26 are placed in the internal top surface24 directly over the reservoir. The weep holes 26 allow water that seepsthrough the mortar to drain into the reservoir 21. Water in thereservoir 21 is then directed to the drain pipe 22 for removal.

A suitable water porous material covers the weep holes to preventmortar, tile or stone from becoming lodged in the weep holes. Thiscovering is known as a mortar guard 50. In its preferred embodiment, themortar guard 50 is cylindrical shaped with an orifice 51 in the center.The mortar guard orifice 51, as depicted in FIGS. 19-20, generally hasthe same cross section as the orifice 27 in the integrated floor drain20. An equal or larger mortar guard orifice 51 cross section allows theshower drain head 63 to sit above the mortar guard 50 while the mortarguard 50 is fitted around the shower drain neck 62. The mortar guard 50cross section is sized appropriately so that the guard completely coversthe weep holes 26 in the integrated floor drain 20. The mortar guard 50may be any suitable porous material that lets water flow through withoutbeing readily clogged by dirt or debris. Suitable material includescontinuous filament nylon with an open weave. Open weave continuousfilament nylon allows moisture to migrate freely to the weep holes.Since continuous filament nylon has a zero rate of absorption, any waterthat seeps through the mortar 80 can pass through the mortar guard 50and into the weep holes 26. The mortar guard 50 also provides amplesupport to place mortar 80 and tile 81 on top while still maintainingits shape and effectiveness.

The shower pan 1 is custom designed, but in the preferred embodiment astainless steel sheet with a top and bottom surface forms the base ofthe shower. The top surface is sloped from the edges of the sheet to anorifice 4 placed in the sheet. The orifice 4 receives the integratedfloor drain 20. A depressed portion 3 is formed in the sheet surroundingthe orifice 4 with an equal or smaller length than the external topsurface 23 of the integrated floor drain 20. The external top surface 23of the integrated floor drain 20 contacts the shower pan depression 3and rests on top. A weld 2 seals the integrated floor drain 20 to theshower pan 1. As depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8, one or more sidewalls 5extend vertically from the edges of the shower pan sheet to form a basin6 for water that seeps through the mortar. The basin 6, sloped downwardtowards the integrated floor drain 20, directs the water to the weepholes 26 so that the water can be drained.

A drainage mat 40 is placed on top of the shower pan 1 and theintegrated floor drain 20 with an orifice 43 to receive the mortar guard50. The drainage mat 40 is placed between the mortar 80 and the showerpan 1 so that water can freely run off the pan liner and into the weepholes 26. The drainage mat 40 may be a generally flat sheet of a plasticmaterial 42 that is sized to fit the shower pan 1. The drainage mat 40may be generally planar or it may have a plurality of channels 41 toassist in runoff of the water. The drainage mat 40 may be filled withsturdy material to structurally support the mortar 80, tile or stone 81placed on top of the mat 40.

The combination of the shower drain 1 with the mortar guard 50 and theintegrated floor drain 20 is depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. Water thatcollects on top of the tile or stone 81 is funneled to the shower drain60. The water then travels through the shower drain neck 62 to thereservoir 21 in the integrated floor drain 20 before exiting through thedrain pipe 22. The shower drain 60, which contains male threading 61 asdepicted in FIGS. 14-15 and 17-18, is connected to the integrated floordrain 20 by screwing the shower drain neck 62 into the floor drain'sinternal top surface 24. The mortar guard 50, as depicted, has anorifice in the center with a cross section sized appropriately toreceive the shower drain 60. In addition, the mortar guard's 50 totalcross section is sized appropriately to cover the weep holes 26 in theintegrated floor drain 20.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are two examples of the invention in an exploded viewfeaturing a square grate 72 and shower drain 64 or round grate 73 andshower drain 65. FIGS. 13-18 depict the grates and drains with moredetail. The shower grate 70 is placed on top of the head of the showerdrain 63. The shower grate 70 contains orifices 74 allowing water fromthe shower to enter the drainage system. Many different designs arepossible for the shower grate 70. FIGS. 9-12 depict four examples ofshower grate 70 designs. In the figures, screw holes 71 are placed atthe corners of the square grate 72 and at two points opposite each otheron the round grate 73. Threaded screw holes 66 are placed on the showerdrains 60 in relation to the location of the holes on the grates 70. Theshower drain screw holes 66 are generally slightly elevated 67 above thesurface level with the drain. Two examples of screw holes 66 arerepresented in the figures; however it is possible to place the screwholes 66 in any location in any number of different combinations. Thescrew holes 66 create space between the grate 70 and the shower drain 60for water to collect before reaching the neck of the shower drain 62.Sidewalls 68 extend vertically from the edge of the shower drain head 63so that the top of the grate 70, when resting in the head of the showerdrain 63, reaches the same height as the sidewalls. This creates a flushsurface for someone to stand on while using the shower. A screw 75 isinserted through the shower grate and screwed into the holes located onthe shower drain.

1. A method for making a shower pan comprising providing a sheet of asheet metal having a length and a width; fabricating said sheet of sheetmetal into a shower pan, said shower pan having at least a base area andone or more sidewalls extending upwardly from said base; providing anopening in said sheet metal for receiving a drain; welding said drain tosaid sheet metal to form a unitary shower pan.
 2. The method accordingto claim 1 wherein said sheet metal is stainless steel.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 2 wherein said weld is a tig weld.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 3 wherein said shower pan has a recessed area in saidbase around said opening such that when said drain is positioned in saidopening a top surface of said drain is in generally the same plane asthe top surface of an area of said base around said opening.
 5. Themethod according to claim 4 wherein said floor drain is comprised of aunitary structure having a flange surrounding a top surface of saiddrain, said top surface having a reservoir thereunder and a drain pipeextending from said reservoir.
 6. The method according to claim 5wherein said drain has a plurality of weep holes in said top surface. 7.The method according to claim 6 wherein said drain has a top surfacewith a flange extending horizontally therefrom, a sidewall extendingfrom an underside of said top surface, said sidewall having a first endand a second end, said first end being connected to the underside ofsaid top surface, said second end being connected to a base of saidreservoir said base of said reservoir having a drain pipe extendingtherefrom.
 8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said top surfaceof said drain has an opening therein, said opening having a sidewallextending into said reservoir.
 9. The method according to claim 8wherein said sidewall of said opening is threaded.
 10. A unitary showerpan and drain comprising a drain, said drain having a top surface with aflange extending horizontally therefrom, a sidewall extending from anunderside of said top surface, said sidewall having a first end and asecond end, said first end being connected to the underside of said topsurface, said second end being connected to a base of said reservoirsaid base of said reservoir having a drain pipe extending therefrom; ashower pan, said shower pan fabricated from a sheet of sheet metalhaving a length and a width, said shower pan having a base and one ormore sidewalls extending upwardly from said base, said base having anopening therein and a recessed area surrounding said opening said drainbeing received in said recessed area, said drain having been welded tosaid base such that a top surface of said drain is in generally the sameplane as the top surface of the base of said shower pan adjacent to saidrecessed area in said base.
 11. The unitary shower pan and drainaccording to claim 10 wherein said sheet metal is stainless steel. 12.The unitary shower pan and drain according to claim 11 wherein said weldis a tig weld.
 13. The unitary shower pan and drain according to claim12 wherein said drain has a plurality of weep holes in said top surface.14. The unitary shower pan and drain according to claim 13 wherein saidtop surface of said drain has an opening therein said opening having asidewall extending into said reservoir.
 15. The unitary shower pan anddrain according to claim 14 wherein said sidewall of said opening isthreaded.
 16. A one-piece drain comprising a top surface, said topsurface having a flange extending horizontally therefrom, said topsurface of said drain having an orifice therein; a reservoir, saidreservoir having a sidewall extending from an underside of said topsurface, said sidewall having a first end and a second end, said firstend being connected to the underside of said top surface, said secondend being connected to the base of said reservoir, said base having anorifice therein; a drain pipe, said drain pipe having a sidewallextending from the base of the reservoir surrounding said orifice insaid base.
 17. A one-piece drain according to claim 16 wherein saidorifice in said top surface has a sidewall extending into saidreservoir.
 18. A one-piece drain according to claim 17 wherein saidsidewall of said orifice in said top surface is threaded.
 19. Aone-piece drain according to claim 18 wherein said drain has a pluralityof weep holes in said top surface.
 20. A mortar guard to protect weepholes on a top surface of a drain, said mortar guard comprising a topsurface, a bottom surface and at least one side wall extending from saidtop surface to said bottom surface.
 21. The mortar according to claim 20wherein said mortar guard is comprised of a filament nylon fiber so thatwater may pass through the surface of said mortar guard to said drain.22. The mortar guard according to claim 21 wherein said fiber is acontinuous filament nylon fiber.
 23. The mortar guard according to claim22 wherein said top surface has an orifice therein, said orificeextending from said top surface to said bottom surface.
 24. A showerbase comprising a floor drain, said floor drain having a top surfacewith a flange extending horizontally therefrom, a sidewall extendingfrom an underside of said top surface, said sidewall having a first endand a second end, said first end being connected to the underside ofsaid top surface, said second end being connected to a base of saidreservoir said base of said reservoir having a drain pipe extendingtherefrom; a shower pan, said shower pan fabricated from a sheet ofsheet metal having a length and a width, said shower pan having a baseand one or more sidewalls extending upwardly from said base, said basehaving an opening therein and a recessed area surrounding said openingsaid floor drain being received in said recessed area, said floor drainhaving been welded to said base such that a top surface of said drain isin generally the same plane as the top surface of the base of saidshower pan adjacent to said recessed area in said base; a mortar guardto protect weep holes on a top surface of a drain, said mortar guardcomprising a top surface, a bottom surface and a side wall extendingfrom said top surface to said bottom surface, said mortar guardcomprising a nylon fiber material so water may pass through the surfaceof said mortar guard to said drain; a finish coat applied above theshower pan, floor drain and mortar guard, said finish coat havingmortar.
 25. The shower base according to claim 24 wherein said finishcoat includes tile.
 26. The shower base according to claim 25 whereinsaid finish coat includes stone.
 27. A shower base according to claim 24further comprising a drainage mat, said drainage mat being placedbetween the mortar and the shower pan, said drainage mat being able tosupport the weight of the finish coat and fabricated from a generallyflat sheet of a plastic material, said drainage mat generally sized tofit the shower pan.
 28. A drainage mat according to claim 27 whereinsaid drainage mat has a plurality of channels.
 29. A shower baseaccording to claim 27 further comprising a shower drain, said showerdrain having a top surface, said top surface having an orifice, said topsurface having one or more sidewalls surrounding said orifice, saidsidewalls extending downward from the underside of said top surface,said top surface having sidewalls extending upward from said topsurface, said top surface having two or more elevated surfaces, saidelevated surfaces having one or more recesses for receiving a screw. 30.A shower base according to claim 29 further comprising a shower grate,said grate having a surface, said surface sized to fit in the topsurface of said shower drain, said surface having first type and secondtype of orifice, said first type of orifice is sized for receiving ascrew, said second type of orifices is sized for water permeability. 31.A shower grate according to claim 30 wherein the shape of said topsurface of said shower grate is round.
 32. A shower grate according toclaim 30 wherein the shape of said top surface of said shower grate issquare.